Stack of bags including front and rear tabs

ABSTRACT

In a stack of vest-style carrier bags S, each bag ( 10 ) comprises a front layer and a rear layer of flexible plastics material joined at the base ( 14 ) and sides ( 16, 18 ) and defining an open mouth end ( 20 ). Handles ( 22, 24 ) extend from the open mouth end. A tab ( 32   a, b ) extends from each ply of material between the handles. An attachment block ( 26 ) is provided between the handles ( 22, 24 ) and the handles are separably attached to the block by perforated lines of weakening. Front and rear tabs ( 32   a ) are separably attached to the attachment block. The rear tab ( 32   b ) of one bag is also separably attached to the front tab of the next bag in the stack so as to effect pulling of the front tab of the next bag from the stack. A container C is also provided for the stack with an opening O for allowing the bag to be removed and the subsequent front tab to protrude therethrough.

The invention relates to a stack of bags, particularly but notexclusively limited to use in a retail establishment at the point ofsale for packaging purchased goods.

Stacks of bags are commonly provided in retail establishments at thepoint of sale to allow the customer to package purchased goods. Suchbags are generally made of thin walled, flexible plastics material andare sealed at the base end and the sides leaving the upper end open toform the mouth of the bag. There are various designs of such bags.However, one common configuration has two handle members extending fromthe mouth, one on each side of the bag. That configuration is known as a“vest bag” or “vest-style bag”. The present invention is concerned withvest-style bags.

It is known from our earlier British patent application number 2332422to provide a stack of vest-style bags in a dispenser, handles of thebags in the stack being separably connected to opposite ends of anattachment block of bag material. It is also known to provide a tab ofmaterial extending from the attachment block to the mouth of the bag,the tab being separably attached to the open end of the bag adjacent themouth of the bag, which supports the middle part of the bag and preventssagging. It is also known to bond, in semi-permanent manner, the rearface of a top bag in a stack to the front face of the subsequent bag sothat, on pulling of the top bag from the stack, the front face of thenext bag is pulled forward. Such bags are adhered together at a pointbetween the mouth of the bag and the base. The problem with such bags isthat, if left for a while between bag removals, the front face tends torelax back to a position flush with the rear face. Secondly, it is notobvious to a user where the bag should be pulled to effect removal.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved stack of bags.

According to the invention there is provided a stack of vest-style bags,each bag comprising a front layer and a rear layer of flexible sheetmaterial, the layers defining a bag body having a closed base end,closed sides and an open mouth end opposite the base end, and two handleparts spaced from each other and extending from the open mouth end, thefront layer further defining a front tab extending from the open mouthend from a point between the two handle parts, the rear ply furtherdefining a rear tab extending from the open mouth end from a pointbetween the two handle parts, the stack of bags having attachment meansto which the spaced apart handles of the bags in the stack are separablyattached by lines of weakening at respective handle attachment pointsspaced from the mouth of each bag, the front and rear tabs beingseparably attached to the attachment means by lines of weakening atrespective tab attachment points spaced from the open mouth end of eachbag, the rear tab of one bag in the stack being separably attached tothe front tab of the subsequent bag in the stack.

In that way, when a user pulls the front tab of a first bag, the handlesand rear tab of the bag become detached. The rear tab of the first bagremains attached to the front tab of the subsequent bag in the stack.Further pulling of the front tab of the first bag opens the mouth of thefirst bag and detaches the front tab of the subsequent bag from theattachment means, pulling that front tab forwardly. Only then does therear tab detach from the subsequent front tab. Thus the front tab of thesubsequent bag is pulled forward for ready use and the withdrawn bag isremoved from the stack open and ready to use.

The provision of a tab protruding from the mouth of the bag makes a muchmore obvious pulling point for the user. The configuration of theinventive bag provides reliable withdrawal of bags from the stack everytime. Also, the stack of bags does not rely on any particular mountingconfiguration to function.

Each bag may be made from an elongate tube, sealed along the base andcut to define handles, a mouth and the tabs. Alternatively, each bag maycomprise two plys of material, sealed along the base and the side edgesand cut to define the handles, a mouth and the tabs.

The attachment means preferably comprises a block of bag material, mostpreferably a block comprising multiple layers of bag material. The linesof weakening by which the handles and the tabs are attached to theattachment means preferably comprise lines where the bag material is cutthrough, leaving only a small area connected. The attachment between therear and subsequent front tabs is effected, preferably by means of anadhesive. Alternatively, the tabs can be locally deformed so that thematerial of the rear tab is pushed into a depression formed in the fronttab of the next bag. In a particularly preferred embodiment, where thetabs are attached together by local deformation, one or both of the rearsurface of the rear tab and the front surface of the front tab aretreated to enhance the adhesion of the tabs together when locallydeformed. The treatment is most preferably an electrostatic dischargetreatment, known as a “Corona” treatment which renders the surface“rougher” at a microscopic level. By applying the Corona treatment tothe relevant surfaces of the tabs, then locally deforming the tabs,appropriate adhesion is provided without the use of adhesive. Stillfurther, the tabs can be punched through, the punching providing thesemi-permanent attachment. In a further embodiment, the tabs may bespot-welded together, although that is less preferred than theaforementioned methods as it is a more intensive process.

Where the tabs are connected to the attachment means by lines ofweakening in which a small portion remains attached, the portion whichremains attached is preferably arranged a greater distance from thelongitudinal centreline of the tab than the furthest extent of theattachment between the rear and subsequent front tabs. In that way, whenload is applied to the rear tab, load is taken initially by the tab totab attachment but subsequent loading tends to cause the tab to bend uparound the tab to tab attachment and load the tab to attachment meansattachment. In that way failure of that attachment is encouraged beforefailure of the tab to tab attachment.

The stack may be retained, in use, so as to hang from the attachmentmeans. In one such embodiment, a peg, pin or plate extends through asuitable aperture in the attachment means. Alternatively, a supportmember is received beneath the attachment means in the gap between theattachment means and the mouth of the bag.

Although the stack of bags can be used simply by securing the attachmentmeans, it can be useful to mount the bags in a container.

In a preferred embodiment, the stack of bags is received in a containerand the container has an aperture which is arranged to allow the fronttab of the top bag to protrude therefrom and, on removal of the top bagfrom the stack, allows the top bag to be removed open and the subsequentfront tab to be pulled through the aperture. The container may be a boxor a bag defining the aforesaid aperture and, preferably, includes meansto retain the attachment means in the container.

In an alternative embodiment, the stack of bags may be retained on anopen stand.

The front tab of each bag preferably includes a marking or markingsindicating that the user should pull the tab to remove the bag from thestack.

The stack of bags in accordance with the invention will now be describedin detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bag for use in a stack in accordance with theinvention,

FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of a stack of bags in accordance with theinvention,

FIG. 2 b is a similar view to FIG. 2 a with the front tab of the leadingbag pulled outwardly,

FIG. 2 c is a similar view to FIGS. 2 a and b with the front tab pulledfurther outwardly and the handles released from the attachment means,

FIG. 2 d is a similar view to FIGS. 2 a-c with the front tab pulledstill further outwardly so that the rear tab and the front tab of thesubsequent bag are disengaged from the attachment means,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first container for a stack of bags inaccordance with the invention, the container being shown in brokenlines, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second container for a stack of bagsin accordance with the invention.

In FIG. 1, a bag 10 for use in a stack of bags S in accordance with theinvention comprises a bag body 12 having a closed base end 14, closedsides 16, 18 and an open mouth end 20. Handles 22, 24 extend from themouth 20 along opposite sides 16, 18 of the bag. The bag body 12 isformed from two plys of material which are joined together in theregions illustrated by means of crosshatching in FIG. 1 so as to closethe base and sides of the bag. The unjoined portions on opposite sidesin the handle regions 22, 24, provide the apertures through which theuser can insert a hand to lift the bag.

The handles 22, 24 are attached along the upper part of their respectiveinner edges to a bar block 26 of bag material. The attachment iseffected by serrated attachments 28, 30 respectively represented bybroken lines in FIG. 1.

On each ply of material, a tab of material 32 a, b extends from themouth 20 of the bag to the bar block 26 and is attached to the bar block26 by means of a similar serrated attachment 34. By way of manufactureof the bag, two rectangular sheets of thin walled flexible plasticsmaterial are arranged one on top of the other. The sides and base aresealed, by for example by welding in the regions indicated. The cut outportions between the bar block 26 and the mouth 20 are cut away usingappropriate cutting apparatus and the attachment lines 28, 30, 34between the handles 22, 24, the tabs 32 and the bar block 26 are formedby cutting through the border between the relative features and the barblock 26 in a serrated fashion. It will be noted that in the serratedattachment of the tabs 32 to the bar block 26, the innermost attachmentpoint between tab 32 and bar block 26 is a distance D from thecentreline C of the tab 32.

Thus, each bag 10 comprises a bag body 12 with handles 22, 24 and frontand rear tabs 32 a, 32 b. The handles 22, 24 and front and rear tabs 32a, 32 b are separably attached to the bar block 26.

When the stack is formed, the rear tab 32 b of each bag is separablyattached to the front tab 32 a of the next bag in the stack at tab totab attachment points 36 between the mouth 20 and the bar block 26.

The tab to tab attachment is preferably formed generally centrally ofthe tab 32. The outermost extend of the tab to tab attachment points 36from the centreline C of each tab is a distance W. The distance W isless than aforesaid distance D.

The attachment 36 of each rear/front pair of tabs 32 b, 32 a, togetheris preferably stronger than the attachment of the tabs 32 b, 32 a to thebar block. In that way, the tabs 32 b, 32 a are guaranteed to pull awayfrom the bar block 26 before becoming separated from each other.Alternatively, the attachment 36 may be stronger than some of theserrated attachment points between tabs 32 a, b and bar block 26 so asto generate a progressive failure of the serrations prior to the tabsseparating. Theoretically, as long as the attachment 36 between tabs 32a, b exceeds the strength of one of the serrated attachment points, aprogressive failure could be initiated. However, that arrangement wouldfail less reliably than the other aforesaid versions. As shown in thefigures, the attachment 36 comprises two attachment points 36 a, b whichare spaced apart slightly along the tabs 32 a, b, one above the other.That arrangement provides a fail safe whereby failure of the firstattachment point 36 a does not result in the two tabs from becomingseparated until the front tab 32 a of the subsequent bag 10 has beendetached from the bar block 26. In the embodiment shown the attachmentbetween respective rear 32 b and front 32 a tabs is effected by locallydeforming the material of the tab so that part of the tab material ofeach rear tab 32 b is received within a corresponding depression in eachsubsequent front tab 32 a. The rear surface of each rear tab 32 b andthe front surface of each front tab 32 a has a roughened surface at amicroscopic level, having received multiple Corona electrostaticdischarge treatments prior to formation of the bag. Optionally anadhesive may be used in addition to local deformation. The otherattachment methods mentioned above may be used.

FIGS. 2 a to d illustrate a bag removal operation from a stack S. InFIG. 2 a, the stack S is in its initial position with a front tab 32 aof a first bag 10 in the stack S hanging down. In order to remove a bagfrom the stack, a user pulls the tab 32 a away from the stack asillustrated in FIG. 2 b. At first, pulling of the tab 32 a opens themouth 20 of the bag. Further pulling of tab 32 a places the serratedattachment lines 28, 30 which join handles 22, 24 to bar block 26, understress. Those attachment lines are designed to fail in a controlled wayso that the handles 22, 24 are pulled away from the bar block 26 withoutcomprising the integrity of the handles. The controlled failure iseffected by selecting the width and number of attachments along theserrated attachment lines 28, 30. As the lines 28, 30 fail, the bag 10is pulled further away from the stack S, further opening the mouth 20 ofthe bag.

As the bag is pulled open the pulling of front tab 32 a briefly loadsthe attachment points 36 a, b attaching rear tab 32 b and subsequentfront tab 32 a together. Further pulling of the tab 32 a pulls thesubsequent front tab 32 a away from the subsequent rear tab and theattachment line 34 comes under stress. The rear tab 32 b and subsequentfront tab 32 a tend to fold up about the centreline C of each tab 32because of the generally central location of the tab to tab attachmentpoints 36. Due to the folding and the fact that distance D is greaterthan W, the innermost attachment points of the tab to bar block areloaded. The attachment lines 34, which join rear tab 32 b and subsequentfront tab 32 a to the bar block 26, then fail so that the rear tab 32 band the subsequent front tab 32 a come away from the bar block 26. Thetabs 32 b and 32 a are now only connected together by the attachmentpoints 36 a, b. Still further pulling of the front tab 32 a causes theseattachment points 36 to be stressed and then to fail. Thus the first bagin the stack is pulled open from the stack and the front tab 32 a of thesubsequent bag 10 is pulled forwardly of the stack to indicate to a userthat it should be pulled in order to remove the next bag from the stack.

As stated above, the front tab 32 a of each bag includes indicia toindicate to a user that it should be pulled to withdraw a bag from thestack.

The tabs 32 a, b serve a useful purpose after bag removal as ties forthe bag. When conventional carrier bags are loaded in the luggagecompartment of a car and a car journey is undertaken, the contents ofthe bags can spill out. Some users take to tying the bag handlestogether but that can result in compromise of the handle function and anoverly firm closure which can be difficult to untie. Using the tabs asties leaves the handles unaffected and provides a more appropriateclosure.

In FIG. 3, the stack S of bags from FIGS. 2 a to 2 d is arranged in acontainer c shown in broken lines. The container is large enough toenvelop the entire stack S and has an opening O formed in a front faceat an upper part thereof. The opening O is dimensioned and arranged sothat the front tab 32 a of the bag hangs out of the opening O. When thestack S is located in the container C, the only part of each bagpresented for pulling is the tab 32 a. That prevents inappropriateremoval which could cause failure of the stack. When a bag is removed bypulling of the front tab 32 a, the operation described above ensuresthat the front tab 32 a of the subsequent bag 10 is pulled out throughopening O to provide an obvious bag removal part. The container may bemade from metal, plastics material, card, paper, board or wood or anycombination thereof. The container C may receive a stack of bags Sfolded transversely between the mouth 20 and the base end 14 so as toprovide a more compact container.

In FIG. 4, the stack S is retained on a stand 38. The stand 38 isarranged at the checkout of a retail establishment. The stand 38comprises a leg 40 with a cross member 42 extending perpendicularlyacross the top of the leg 40 so that the stand is “T” shaped. Hooks 44extend from a front face of the cross member 42, one on each side of theleg 40.

In order to mount the stack S on the stand 38, two holes 46 are punchedthrough the bar block 26 and the stack S is mounted on the stand bypushing the hooks 44 through the respective holes 46.

The present invention provides a more effective bag removal function ina stack of bags which provides a single open bag removed from the stackfor each bag removal operation and which leaves the stack ready for thenext bag removal.

Other tab and attachment geometries and methods may be selected withinthe scope of the invention.

1. A stack of vest-style bags, each bag comprising a front layer and arear layer of flexible sheet material, the layers defining a bag bodyhaving a closed base end, closed sides, an open mouth end opposite thebase end, and two handle parts spaced from each other and extending fromthe open mouth end, the front layer further defining a front tabextending from the open mouth end from a point between the two handleparts, the front tab being sufficiently long to allow it to hang downfrom the open mouth end toward the closed base end, the rear layerfurther defining a rear tab extending from the open mouth end from apoint between the two handle parts, the stack of bags having attachmentmeans to which the spaced apart handles of the bags in the stack areseparably attached by lines of weakening at respective handle attachmentpoints spaced from the mouth of each bag, the front and rear tabs beingseparably attached to that attachment means by lines of weakening atrespective tab attachment points spaced from the open mouth end of eachbag, the rear tab of each bag in the stack being separably attached tothe front tab of a subsequent bag in the stack.
 2. A stack of vest-stylebags according to claim 1 in which each bag is made from an elongatetube, sealed along the base end and cut to define handles, a mouth andthe tabs.
 3. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 1 in whicheach bag comprises two plys of material, sealed along the base end andside edges and cut to define the handles, a mouth and the tabs.
 4. Astack of vest-style bags according to claim 1 in which the attachmentmeans comprises a block of bag material, comprising multiple layers ofbag material.
 5. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 1 inwhich the lines of weakening by which the handles and the tabs areattached to the attachment means comprise lines where the bag materialis cut through, leaving only a small area connected.
 6. A stack ofvest-style bags according to claim 5 in which a portion which remainsattached is arranged a greater distance from a longitudinal centrelineof the tab than the furthest extent of the attachment between the rearand subsequent front tabs.
 7. A stack of vest-style bags according toclaim 1 in which the attachment between the rear and subsequent fronttabs is effected by means of an adhesive.
 8. A stack of vest-style bagsaccording to claim 1 in which the tabs can be locally deformed so thatthe material of the rear tab is pushed into a depression formed in thefront tab of the next bag.
 9. A stack of vest-style bags according toclaim 8 in which one or both of the rear surface of the rear tab and thefront surface of the front tab are treated to enhance the adhesion ofthe tabs together when locally deformed.
 10. A stack of vest-style bagsaccording to claim 9 in which the treatment is an electrostaticdischarge treatment.
 11. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim1, in which the stack is retained, in use, so as to hang from theattachment means.
 12. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 11in which a peg, pin or plate extends through a suitable aperture in theattachment means.
 13. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 11in which a support member is received beneath the attachment means inthe gap between the attachment means and the mouth of the bag.
 14. Astack of vest-style bags according to claim 1 in which the stack of bagsis received in a container and the container has an aperture which isarranged to allow the front tab of the top bag to protrude therefromand, on removal of the top bag from the stack, allows the top bag to beremoved open and the subsequent front tab to be pulled through theaperture.
 15. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 14 in whichthe container may be a box or a bag defining the aforesaid aperture andincludes means to retain the attachment means in the container.
 16. Astack of vest-style bags according to claim 1 in which the stack of bagsis retained on an open stand.
 17. A stack of vest-style bags accordingto claim 1 in which the front tab of each bag includes a marking ormarkings indicating that the user should pull the tab to remove the bagfrom the stack.
 18. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 1wherein abutting tab surfaces of different bags are roughened prior todeformation.
 19. A stack of vest-style bags according to claim 18wherein the roughening is by an electrostatic discharge treatment.
 20. Astack of vest-style bags according to claim 1 wherein the stack has adeformation separably attaching the rear tab of each bag in the stack tothe front tab of a subsequent bag in the stack.
 21. A container havingtherein a stack of vest-style bags, each bag comprising a front layerand a rear layer of flexible sheet material, the layers defining a bagbody having a closed base end, closed sides, an open mouth end oppositethe base end, and two handle parts spaced from each other and extendingfrom the open mouth end, the front layer further defining a front tabextending from the open mouth end from a point between the two handleparts, the rear ply further defining a rear tab extending from the openmouth end from a point between the two handle parts, the stack of bagshaving attachment means to which the spaced apart handles of the bags inthe stack are separably attached by lines of weakening at respectivehandle attachment points spaced from the mouth of each bag, the frontand rear tabs being separably attached to the attachment means by linesof weakening at respective tab attachment points spaced from the openmouth end of each bag, the rear tab of one bag in the stack beingseparably attached to the front tab of the subsequent bag in the stack,the container having an aperture which is arranged to allow the fronttab of the top bag to protrude therefrom and, on removal of the top bagfrom the stack, the top bag is removed open and the subsequent front tabis pulled through the aperture.
 22. A stack of vest-style bags, each bagcomprising a front layer and a rear layer of flexible sheet material,the layers defining a bag body having a closed base end, closed sides,an open mouth end opposite the base end, and two handle parts spacedfrom each other and extending from the open mouth end, the front layerfurther defining a front tab extending from the open mouth end from apoint between the two handle parts, the rear layer further defining arear tab extending from the open mouth end from a point between the twohandle parts, the stack of bags having attachment means to which thespaced apart handles of the bags in the stack are separably attached bylines of weakening at respective handle attachment points spaced fromthe mouth of each bag, the front and rear tabs being separably attachedto the attachment means by lines of weakening at respective tabattachment points spaced from the open mouth end of each bag, the reartab of one bag in the stack being separably attached to the front tab ofthe subsequent bag in the stack at a tab to tab attachment point, theattachment means and attachment points being arranged so that, uponremoval of a bag from the stack, the handle attachment points failbefore the tab to tab attachment point.
 23. A stack of vest-style bags,each bag comprising a front layer and a rear layer of flexible sheetmaterial the layers defining a bag body having a closed base end, closedsides, an open mouth end opposite the base end, and two handle partsspaced from each other and extending along their respective lengths fromthe open mouth end away from the bag body, the front layer furtherdefining a front tab extending from the open mouth end to a pointbetween the two handle parts and midway along the length of the twohandle parts, the rear layer further defining a rear tab extending fromthe open mouth end to a point between the two handle parts and midwayalong the length of the two handle parts, the stack of bags havingattachment means to which the spaced apart handles of the bags in thestack are separably attached by lines of weakening at respective handleattachment points spaced from the mouth of each bag, the front and reartabs being separably attached to the attachment means by lines ofweakening at respective tab attachment points spaced form the open mouthend of each bag, the rear tab of one bag in the stack being separablyattached to the front tab of the subsequent bag in the stack at a tab totab attachment point and the front and rear tabs are formed from therespective front and rear layers.
 24. A stack of vest-style bags, eachbag comprising a front layer and a rear layer of flexible sheet materialthe layers defining a bag body having a closed base end, closed sides,an open mouth end opposite the base end, and two handle parts spacedfrom each other and extending from the open mouth end, the front layerfurther defining a front tab extending from the open mouth end to apoint between the two handle parts, the rear layer further defining arear tab extending from the open mouth end to a point between the twohandle parts, the stack of bags having attachment means to which thespaced apart handles of the bags in the stack are separably attached bylines of weakening at respective handle attachment points spaced fromthe mouth of each bag, the front and rear tabs being separably attachedto the attachment means by lines of weakening at respective tabattachment points spaced form the open mouth end of each bag, the reartab of one bag in the stack being separably attached to the front tab ofthe subsequent bag in the stack at a tab to tab attachment point and thefront and rear tabs are formed from the same material as the respectivefront and rear layers.